A Vancouver couple is locked in an agitating battle with Whirlpool after their brand new washing machine flooded their home, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage. 

The washer at Jamie Clerkson and Shannon McCrae’s townhouse turned on by itself in the middle of the night and began overflowing.

The malfunctioning washer had been pouring water onto the main floor long enough to seep into the basement and set off the fire alarm.

Clerkson ran downstairs to find “a waterfall” cascading from the landing and ripples of water pooling on the floor.

"Pink water was coming through the pot lights because of all the insulation in the floor, so it was dying the carpets. It was panic,” he said.

The couple says the flooding caused between $40,000 and $50,000 in damage. 

Holes had to be cut in the ceiling and baseboards and floors needed replacing. The couple paid to stay at a hotel while their recently renovated home was repaired. 

Whirlpool was only willing to fix the malfunctioning washer with a $100 replacement part but the couple wanted it gone.  After the damage caused by the washing machine, they couldn’t trust that it wouldn’t happen again.

"I don't know who would want that washer and dryer back in their house after [this],” McCrae said. 

The couple contacted CTV’s Steele on Your Side after hitting a wall with the company. 

“Nobody seemed to be able to do anything for me, so I pleaded my case to you,” Clerkson told CTV’s Lynda Steele. 

Steele on Your Side contacted Whirlpool on the couple’s behalf.  Within 48 hours the corporation said it had resolved the problem. 

Whirlpool refused to do an interview, but provided a statement: "Whirlpool Corporation provided a resolution to Mr. Clerkson.  He was pleased with our offer to have both his washer and dryer exchanged for upgraded models at no charge."

While the couple is pleased to be getting an upgraded washer at no charge, they are unhappy Whirlpool is refusing to compensate them for all the other expenses, including a lengthy hotel stay and their $5,000 insurance deductible.  

Whirlpool says it was unable to offer any other form of compensation since they had already initiated a claim with their insurance company.  The model number is Y WET 3300XQO, type CFSO ELE 2406024.

Steele on Your Side has learned the exact same machine was involved in at least four other serious flooding cases in Metro Vancouver.

In one case, a series of floods caused over $100,000 damage to one new condo complex.  Watch CTV News at Six on Thursday for that story…