The present invention provides a DPF failure detection method and a DPF failure detection device, which can be realized with a simple configuration and detect a failure at low cost. The theoretical deposited amount of PM on a DPF 4 is calculated from the operating state of an internal combustion engine 2. The actual deposited amount of the PM on the DPF 4 is measured based on the electrical capacitance of an electrical capacitance type PM sensor 6. When the divergence of the actual deposited amount from the theoretical deposited amount exceeds an allowable limit, it is determined that the DPF 4 has a failure.