Method for operating an operating device for a motor vehicle, the operating device having a rotary actuator, which is mounted rotatably on a holding element, and a coding element, having the steps: - detecting a first actual sensor value (x ist) and a second actual sensor value (y ist) with the aid of a coding of the coding element in the current rotational position of the rotary actuator, - determining a current rotation angle between the rotary actuator and the holding element on the basis of the detected first actual sensor value (x ist) and the second actual sensor value (y ist), - providing a first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and a second setpoint sensor value (y soll) for predetermined rotational angles (α) between the rotary actuator and the holding element, - assigning the detected first actual sensor value (x ist) to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and the detected second actual sensor value (y ist) to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll), wherein, - in order to determine the current rotational angle, the first actual sensor value (x ist) is adapted to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) assigned to it and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is adapted to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll) assigned to it, - the first actual sensor value (x ist) is detected with a first sensor apparatus and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is detected with a second sensor apparatus, and - a multiplicity of latching stages are defined for the rotary actuator along its rotation direction (r), and the first actual sensor value (x ist) is assigned to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is assigned to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll) between two of the latching stages. - detecting a first actual sensor value (x ist) and a second actual sensor value (y ist) with the aid of a coding of the coding element in the current rotational position of the rotary actuator, - determining a current rotation angle between the rotary actuator and the holding element on the basis of the detected first actual sensor value (x ist) and the second actual sensor value (y ist), - providing a first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and a second setpoint sensor value (y soll) for predetermined rotational angles (α) between the rotary actuator and the holding element, - assigning the detected first actual sensor value (x ist) to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and the detected second actual sensor value (y ist) to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll), - in order to determine the current rotational angle, the first actual sensor value (x ist) is adapted to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) assigned to it and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is adapted to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll) assigned to it, - the first actual sensor value (x ist) is detected with a first sensor apparatus and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is detected with a second sensor apparatus, and - a multiplicity of latching stages are defined for the rotary actuator along its rotation direction (r), and the first actual sensor value (x ist) is assigned to the first setpoint sensor value (x soll) and the second actual sensor value (y ist) is assigned to the second setpoint sensor value (y soll) between two of the latching stages.