A method of calibrating a windshield wiper system that includes moving a wiper arm, of the windshield wiper system, within at least a portion of a full range of motion defined by at least one physical boundary, determining a position of the wiper arm when it contacts the at least one physical boundary, defining, based on the determined position of the wiper arm, an operating range of motion for the wiper arm that is shorter than the full range of motion, and setting the wiper arm to operate within the defined operating range of motion.