A method for operating a motor vehicle, for which it is monitored whether a communication failure is present between a transmission control instrument of an automatic transmission of the motor vehicle, a selector lever control instrument of the automatic transmission, and/or a parking brake control instrument of an electronic parking brake of the motor vehicle, and/or whether, on account of a malfunction of the automatic transmission itself and/or on account of a malfunction of a selector lever itself for selection of drive stages of the automatic transmission, a parking position of the automatic transmission cannot be engaged.