I'm having a problem with the passenger-side windshield wiper. The driver-side wiper functions normally.

The motor appears to be working properly; but when the wipers are turned on, the wiper lifts a little, but fails to travel any more than a inch or two up the windshield.

I'm guessing the previous owner may have turned on the system with too much snow on the windshield and something may have been stripped internally.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Pull the passenger wiper and check where it presses on to the wiper shaft, hopefully it'* just the internal wiper body thats stripped. Thats the weak spot in the system and usually gives out first.

To do that, I just lift the plastic cap on the base and remove the nut correct?

Basically, might give you some resistance. A thin lath board against the plastic and a screwdriver inbeween may be needed to encourage it off. Easy does it.

Thank you. It appeared that the arm wasn't seated properly. Works like a charm now.

Glad you got it, I've seen the wiper arms stripped inside. A quick run if a dremel with a light grinding wheel, smooths out the inside of hole in the wiper arm (the wiper arms come from the factory with a smooth hole), then once re-pressed onto the stud on the drive mechanism and torqued to spec, it'll cut into the wiper arm with fresh grooves.

If the stud were stripped, you're pretty much SOL! You need to go get a whole new "wiper transmission" system as GM doesn't sell the stud alone. :(

Awesome! Pulled it, cleaned it out, put it on, tightened nut. Wiper fixed! No money!

X2.........