Abstract: A device and a method are provided to, with the aid of a limiting module, advance the maximally retarded ignition angle by a value with respect to the static combustion limit. The timing advance of the maximally retarded ignition angle may be used to avoid uncontrolled combustions in the exhaust, so-called exhaust backfirings. Such exhaust backfirings may occur in dynamic operating states.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for operating a drive unit of a vehicle are suggested. A desired value is preset and an actual value corresponding to the desired value is determined. The desired value is filtered in at least one operating situation. At the start of filtering, the filter is initialized with the determined actual value.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing an exhaust-gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine provides that the fuel quantity, which is needed for a desired mixture composition, is computed, at least approximately, in a control apparatus from at least stored data of the EGR system. The stored data can be in the form of a through-flow characteristic line. Thereafter, the fuel quantity is corrected by a control factor in dependence upon the mixture composition. The control factor is computed and stored when the EGR system is switched on and the control factor is computed and stored when the EGR system is switched off. The difference of these control factors is then formed and compared to pregiven values. A fault signal is outputted in the event of a deviation.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method for diagnosing an exhaust-gas recirculation system of an internal combustion engine wherein the fuel quantity, which is needed for a desired mixture composition, is computed, at least approximately, in a control apparatus, inter alia, from stored data of the EGR system. The stored data can be in the form of a through-flow characteristic line. Thereafter, the fuel quantity is corrected by a control factor in dependence upon the mixture composition. The control factor is computed and stored when the EGR system is switched on and the control factor is computed and stored when the EGR system is switched off. The difference of these control factors is then formed and compared to pregiven values. A fault signal is outputted in the event of a deviation.