have you washed the car? that will go through the seals as well. get someone to run the water over areas of the car to see where it leaks, t tops, door window and door seals, rear hatch seals.

 

As reported above, the auto parts store test may not indicate a problem with "flickering" output from the alternator. They just check to see if the output current is above a minimum value, not that it is stable. You may have to just take a chance on a new one even if it passes the test.

 

The tester I have at my store is capable of detecting the diode ripple, voltage and output current. Those 3 items are what is needed to determine the health of the alternator. Flickering lights is a sign of bad or weak diodes. It also takes a person who knows how to read the test information to determine the overall health of the device being tested. Any idiot can hook up a tester and read the screen but a real tech knows what he/she is reading and advises the customer based on that.

Massey