Thermal management method to be applied in case of detection of overheating of an electrical heating device, in particular for a motor vehicle, said device comprising a plurality of resistive elements having a resistive value that varies as a function of temperature, these resistive elements being configured to be supplied electrically by an electrical voltage source, in which the electrical supply of at least one subset of resistive elements is controlled using a pulse-width-modulated control signal depending on a power setpoint (P_(sub)system_target_0), or temperature setpoint (T_(sub)system_target_0), or current setpoint (i_(sub)system_target_0), or resistance setpoint (R_(sub)system_target_0), characterized in that said method comprises the following steps: a. activating a first phase of gradually regulating said setpoint in a first direction of change, which is either a decrease or an increase, the first regulating phase comprising the following sub-steps (E1-E4): i. regulating said setpoint by modifying it in the first direction of change in first predefined increments, ii. determining a threshold value for the duty cycle depending on the regulated value of the setpoint, this threshold value being representative of overheating of said at least one subset of resistive elements, iii. noting the duty cycle and comparing it with the determined threshold value, b. reiterating the first regulating phase as long as the duty cycle exceeds the determined threshold value, c. if the duty cycle does not exceed the determined threshold value, activating a second phase of regulating said setpoint, in a second direction of change opposite the direction of change of the first phase, i.e. a decrease if the first direction of change was an increase and an increase if the first direction of change was a decrease. a. activating a first phase of gradually regulating said setpoint in a first direction of change, which is either a decrease or an increase, the first regulating phase comprising the following sub-steps (E1-E4): i. regulating said setpoint by modifying it in the first direction of change in first predefined increments, ii. determining a threshold value for the duty cycle depending on the regulated value of the setpoint, this threshold value being representative of overheating of said at least one subset of resistive elements, iii. noting the duty cycle and comparing it with the determined threshold value, i. regulating said setpoint by modifying it in the first direction of change in first predefined increments, ii. determining a threshold value for the duty cycle depending on the regulated value of the setpoint, this threshold value being representative of overheating of said at least one subset of resistive elements, iii. noting the duty cycle and comparing it with the determined threshold value, b. reiterating the first regulating phase as long as the duty cycle exceeds the determined threshold value, c. if the duty cycle does not exceed the determined threshold value, activating a second phase of regulating said setpoint, in a second direction of change opposite the direction of change of the first phase, i.e. a decrease if the first direction of change was an increase and an increase if the first direction of change was a decrease.