Method for identifying an error state in a brushless direct current motor having a shaft, wherein the method comprises the following steps: - recording a shaft angle assigned to the shaft, characterized by the further steps of: - recording a drive angle which indicates a respectively assigned angle value for each of a number of measured sectors of a drive circuit of the direct current motor , wherein the drive angle is an angle which results from the driving of the brushless direct current motor by the drive circuit or a driver circuit, and wherein a sector of the drive circuit corresponds to an angle range of the drive angle in which no change in sign of phase currents of the brushless direct current motor occurs, - calculating an angle difference by subtracting the drive angle from the shaft angle, - calculating an angle deviation from the angle difference using a reference value, wherein the reference value is that value which indicates the smallest possible resolution of the drive angle, - applying a number of predefined specifications to the angle deviation as a function of the shaft angle or time, wherein an error state is assigned to each specification, wherein a specification is an algorithm or a comparison with a predefined pattern and - ascertaining an error state if a specification to which the error state is assigned indicates the error state upon the application. - recording a shaft angle assigned to the shaft, characterized by the further steps of: - recording a drive angle which indicates a respectively assigned angle value for each of a number of measured sectors of a drive circuit of the direct current motor , wherein the drive angle is an angle which results from the driving of the brushless direct current motor by the drive circuit or a driver circuit, and wherein a sector of the drive circuit corresponds to an angle range of the drive angle in which no change in sign of phase currents of the brushless direct current motor occurs, - calculating an angle difference by subtracting the drive angle from the shaft angle, - calculating an angle deviation from the angle difference using a reference value, wherein the reference value is that value which indicates the smallest possible resolution of the drive angle, - applying a number of predefined specifications to the angle deviation as a function of the shaft angle or time, wherein an error state is assigned to each specification, wherein a specification is an algorithm or a comparison with a predefined pattern and - ascertaining an error state if a specification to which the error state is assigned indicates the error state upon the application. - recording a drive angle which indicates a respectively assigned angle value for each of a number of measured sectors of a drive circuit of the direct current motor , wherein the drive angle is an angle which results from the driving of the brushless direct current motor by the drive circuit or a driver circuit, and wherein a sector of the drive circuit corresponds to an angle range of the drive angle in which no change in sign of phase currents of the brushless direct current motor occurs, - calculating an angle difference by subtracting the drive angle from the shaft angle, - calculating an angle deviation from the angle difference using a reference value, wherein the reference value is that value which indicates the smallest possible resolution of the drive angle, - applying a number of predefined specifications to the angle deviation as a function of the shaft angle or time, wherein an error state is assigned to each specification, wherein a specification is an algorithm or a comparison with a predefined pattern and - ascertaining an error state if a specification to which the error state is assigned indicates the error state upon the application. <EOS>