Method for controlling glow plugs installed in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, notably of diesel type, comprising at least one cylinder pressure sensor, in which said plugs are controlled as a function of an estimation of a temperature (T (t)) of the rod of the glow plugs in which: - a cylinder pressure (P cyl) is measured for each crankshaft position, - a temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) is calculated for each angular position of the engine as a function of a value of a temperature (T ivc) on closure of the intake valves, of a volume value (Vol ivc) of the combustion chamber on closure of the intake valves calculated as a function of a crankshaft angle, of a stroke, of a bore and of a dead volume of the cylinder, of a volume value (Vol (angle)) of the combustion chamber for each angular position of the cylinder, of a cylinder pressure value (Pcyl (ivc)) on closure of the intake valves measured by the cylinder pressure sensor and of a cylinder pressure value (Pcyl (angle)) for each angular position of the cylinder, measured by the cylinder pressure sensor, - an average temperature value in the cylinder over a combustion cycle (T gaz(cycle)) is estimated as a function of the temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) for each angular position of the engine, and - the estimation of the temperature (T (t)) of the rod of a plug is calculated by iterative calculation steps as a function of the temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) for each angular position of the engine, of the average temperature value in the cylinder over a combustion cycle (T gaz(cycle)) and of a plug control voltage value, by initializing the temperature of the rod of the plug (T (t)) on the first calculation step with the engine cold, at a value of a temperature of the cylinder head, or at a preceding value of the estimated temperature of the rod of the plug in the case of a hot start. - a cylinder pressure (P cyl) is measured for each crankshaft position, - a temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) is calculated for each angular position of the engine as a function of a value of a temperature (T ivc) on closure of the intake valves, of a volume value (Vol ivc) of the combustion chamber on closure of the intake valves calculated as a function of a crankshaft angle, of a stroke, of a bore and of a dead volume of the cylinder, of a volume value (Vol (angle)) of the combustion chamber for each angular position of the cylinder, of a cylinder pressure value (Pcyl (ivc)) on closure of the intake valves measured by the cylinder pressure sensor and of a cylinder pressure value (Pcyl (angle)) for each angular position of the cylinder, measured by the cylinder pressure sensor, - an average temperature value in the cylinder over a combustion cycle (T gaz(cycle)) is estimated as a function of the temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) for each angular position of the engine, and - the estimation of the temperature (T (t)) of the rod of a plug is calculated by iterative calculation steps as a function of the temperature value in the cylinder (T cyl(angle)) for each angular position of the engine, of the average temperature value in the cylinder over a combustion cycle (T gaz(cycle)) and of a plug control voltage value, by initializing the temperature of the rod of the plug (T (t)) on the first calculation step with the engine cold, at a value of a temperature of the cylinder head, or at a preceding value of the estimated temperature of the rod of the plug in the case of a hot start.