Croaky Holden ute

It's the first time I have heard of "Croak" and I would be asking the dealer to explain what they mean by the term. It could be as simple as a valve lifter needing to be replaced, or it could be serious like piston slap, which is what affected the 5.7-litre V8 engine used before your engine. Have an experienced engine man listen to the engine during the warm-up phase to tell you what part of the engine the noise is coming from. Because your warranty is about to expire I would recommend you place your concerns on the record with the dealer and with Holden. You should also be aware that Holden's responsibility for the product it sells does not end when the warranty ends, there is no time limit on the company's responsibility under our consumer laws.