You might have to turn the volume up to hear the squeak.

The belts were recently changed, like 3 months ago. So do you think I need a new alternator or just the bearing? How complicated is this to replace for someone with limited tools but pretty good with fixing things? Pretty sure something is going because every now and then I get a code that has something to do with electrical.

The hits keep coming! =/

 

So I just tested the alternator under load and the voltmeter was reading 13.6v. That sounds a little low, yes?

The battery was fine 12.6v and when starting it only dropped to 11v

 

Never mind, it was the new belt. I sprayed it with some water and the squeak stopped. Apparently 13.6v is OK for the alternator,

 

The alternator can put out more voltage when it needs to but doesn't put out more than it needs to.

If you put on a new (tighter because new) belt then all the pulleys have a renewed load on them they haven't had in years. It is possible that the bearings in each pulley will be rubbing on a new surface they hadn't before (just a tiny bit). But only the water pump is critical.

If you have a bearing failing it will likely get louder and louder before it fails. When it is loud you can pull the belt off and spin each pulley and see which one is really squealing since the engine is off and you will have silence to listen in. You can even get an automotive stethoscope for $5-$10 to hear smaller noises.

If anything other than the water pump is failing then you don't have to rush to fix them because a dead batter or weak power steering aren't going to destroy the car; although weak power steering if left unfixed could slow your response in an emergency and get you run over.