Disclosed is a method for detecting a malfunction of a voltage-limiting circuit of a control circuit, the control circuit including an output port connected to a capacitive actuator of a motor vehicle, an output voltage on the output port being, in the absence of a malfunction of the voltage-limiting circuit, equal to or lower than a theoretical maximum value. The capacitive actuator is arranged in series with a commutator, the method including steps of: placing the commutator in an open state; activating the control circuit; measuring the output voltage over the output port; and evaluating a criterion for detecting a malfunction of the voltage-limiting circuit as a function of the output voltage.