Method and device for monitoring an electrical load connected to a power supply, with first and second current paths, each having an actuating element, the current transmission capacity of which is alterable by an actuating signal, wherein the operating state of each actuating element is characterized by a voltage drop and the actuating signal. An open-loop control device is configured to activate the actuating elements, at least at measuring intervals spaced apart from one another in time, and evaluate values of the electrical variables obtained for detecting a malfunction of the actuating element, wherein one of the two variables is held at a prescribed value, and the values of the other variable are correlated with one another. A field-effect transistor is activated such that the transistor is not connected through, but rather that a greater voltage drops across the transistor than would be the case in the connected through state.