A method is provided for avoiding incorrect combustion misfire fault detection in an internal combustion engine in a motor vehicle with a dual mass flywheel. In order to detect combustion misfiring, a characteristic variable, which is dependent on the acceleration of the internal combustion engine, is determined continuously during the ongoing operation of the internal combustion engine and compared with a predefined irregular running threshold value. When the irregular running threshold value is exceeded, a combustion misfire is detected, wherein the frequency of detected combustion misfiring, for example at a specific number of crank shaft revolutions, is detected. When a defined frequency threshold is exceeded, a combustion misfire fault detection is activated. When a dual mass flywheel bounce is detected with the simultaneous detection of combustion misfiring, the injection of at least one cylinder is reduced or switched off for a predefined frequency or for a predefined time.