Method for detecting target echoes in a reception signal (ES) of an ultrasonic sensor of a motor vehicle , comprising the following steps: - providing a reference signal (RS) for decoding the reception signal (ES), - with respect to a multiplicity of predetermined frequency shift values providing in each case a correlation input signal (RS) by shifting the reference signal (RS) in terms of its frequency by the respective frequency shift value, - correlating the reception signal (ES) separately with each of the correlation input signals (RS) and thereby providing respective correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), as a result of the respective correlation, and - providing a summation signal (SS) as the sum of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), and - wherein on the basis of the summation signal (SS) one of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7) is selected and detecting the target echoes is carried out by evaluating the selected correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7), - wherein a maximum (M) of the summation signal (SS) is detected and that correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7) to which the detected maximum (M) belongs is selected for detecting the target echoes , and characterized - in that the summation signal (SS) is subdivided into a multiplicity of signal sections and the selection of one of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7) is carried out separately with respect to each signal section , wherein each signal section is respectively assigned a temporally corresponding section of the respectively selected correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7), and - in that with respect to each signal section of the summation signal (SS) a respective local maximum (Ma to Md) is detected and in each case that correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7) is selected to which the respective local maximum (Ma to Md) belongs. - providing a reference signal (RS) for decoding the reception signal (ES), - with respect to a multiplicity of predetermined frequency shift values providing in each case a correlation input signal (RS) by shifting the reference signal (RS) in terms of its frequency by the respective frequency shift value, - correlating the reception signal (ES) separately with each of the correlation input signals (RS) and thereby providing respective correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), as a result of the respective correlation, and - providing a summation signal (SS) as the sum of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7), and - wherein on the basis of the summation signal (SS) one of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7) is selected and detecting the target echoes is carried out by evaluating the selected correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7), - wherein a maximum (M) of the summation signal (SS) is detected and that correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7) to which the detected maximum (M) belongs is selected for detecting the target echoes , and characterized - in that the summation signal (SS) is subdivided into a multiplicity of signal sections and the selection of one of the correlation output signals (KS1 to KS7) is carried out separately with respect to each signal section , wherein each signal section is respectively assigned a temporally corresponding section of the respectively selected correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7), and - in that with respect to each signal section of the summation signal (SS) a respective local maximum (Ma to Md) is detected and in each case that correlation output signal (KS1 to KS7) is selected to which the respective local maximum (Ma to Md) belongs. <EOS>