A method executed prior to starting a motor comprising: detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a first winding of the motor by briefly connecting a first phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the first phase of electric power; detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a second winding of the motor by briefly connecting a second phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the second phase of electric power; detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a third winding of the motor by briefly connecting a third phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the third phase of electric power; and detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present, comprising at least one of: detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the second phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the second phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, and detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing. detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a first winding of the motor by briefly connecting a first phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the first phase of electric power; detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a second winding of the motor by briefly connecting a second phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the second phase of electric power; detecting whether a phase-to-ground short is present in a third winding of the motor by briefly connecting a third phase of electric power to the motor slightly before a voltage zero-crossing by the third phase of electric power; and detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present, comprising at least one of: detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the second phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the second phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, and detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing. detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the second phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the second phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing, and detecting whether a phase-to-phase fault is present by briefly connecting the first phase and the third phase to the motor slightly before a predicted phase-to-phase current zero-crossing.