I found a short thread on the S40/2000 line that dealt with the actual process of replacing the wiper arm.

My question is more along diagnosing the problem.

Wiper arm has lifted up such that it now interferes with opening and closing the hood. When comparing my 2001 V40 setup to my wife's 2002 S40, there about a quarter-inch (half centimeter for the metric types) difference3 between the top of the two arms (mine versus my wife's). There appears to be the same space difference between the arm bottom and where the spindle passes through the metalwork.

The local non-dealer Volvo shop has taken a kick at the situation and trid to tighten the arm and the situation has slightly improved (light scrape versus the old thunk as the hood is lifted or closed.)

When I grab the wiper arm, there appears to be a certain amount of flex in mine that isn't in my wife's.

Questions: Do I take another shot at simply tightening the setup? Could the wiper mechanism come loose on one side and have shifted so everything is higher than it was before and how do I address that? Just spend the bucks and get a new wiper arm and drop it in?