Method for operating a motor vehicle with a drive unit (1), a transmission (2) having several switching elements (9, 10, 11, 12, 13), and an output (14), wherein the transmission (2) is designed as an automatic or automated transmission and is connected between the drive unit (1) and the output (14), wherein in each engaged, friction-fit gear of the transmission (2) a first number of the switching elements (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) of the transmission (2) are closed and a second number of the switching elements (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) of the transmission (2) are open, where, depending on at least one operating condition of the motor vehicle, a sailing mode is entered, wherein, to enter the sailing mode of the motor vehicle, starting from a friction-locked gear, a switching element of the transmission (2) is actuated to open, so that in a non-friction-locked sailing gear one switching element is less closed and thus one switching element is more open than in a friction-locked gear, wherein, in the sailing mode of the motor vehicle, the respective closed and open switching elements of the transmission (2) are changed depending on at least one operating condition of the motor vehicle to adjust the sailing gear, whereby, when adjusting the sailing gear from an actual sailing gear to a target sailing gear, a switching element that is closed in the actual sailing gear and open in the target sailing gear is activated to open, and a switching element that is open in the actual sailing gear and closed in a target sailing gear is activated to close. where For the execution of a current tracking of the sail gear, a translation is determined depending on the switching element controlled or to be controlled to open and depending on the switching element controlled or to be controlled to close, which would then develop if the switching element controlled or to be controlled to open were to remain incorrectly closed, The
system monitors whether, during the execution of the current tracking of the sailing gear, a gearbox input speed or a quantity dependent on the gearbox input speed lies within a defined range around the determined
gear ratio or within a defined range around a quantity dependent on the determined
gear ratio. where, if it is determined that this is the case, it is concluded that the switching element controlled to open for the current tracking of the sail gear remains closed due to a fault, characterized by the fact that Depending on the determined translation and an output speed or gearbox output speed, a synchronous speed is determined. The
system monitors whether, during the execution of the current tracking of the sailing gear, the gearbox input speed is within a defined range around this synchronous speed. where, if it is determined that the transmission input speed is within the defined range, it is concluded that the switching element controlled to open remains closed due to a fault.