Abstract: A temperature-dependent base desired value for the opening angle is determined in a method for precontrolling the opening angle of a throttle flap during the idle engine-speed control of an internal combustion engine. This temperature-dependent base desired value is then modified within a start-time duration. The modification takes place in that, during start, a temperature-dependent angle increase is determined which is multiplied by a time-reduced multiplier factor and the product is additively superposed on the base desired value. With this procedure, and notwithstanding the simple method sequence, it is ensured that the start phase of a warm internal combustion engine takes place without engine-speed increases. It is especially advantageous to modify additional engine-speed base desired values in a corresponding manner. In this case, hardly any additional measures must be undertaken which go beyond those which must be undertaken to modify the base desired value for the opening angle of the throttle flap.

Abstract: In a method for the malfunction testing of an idling control arrangement for an internal combustion engine, the closing function of the idling contact is checked. As soon as it is established that the contact should really be closed but that this is not the case, it is certain that there is either an interruption in the idling contact circuit or a servomotor fault. In order to be able to distinguish which of these faults is present, a test movement sequence is carried out in which the servomotor of the arrangement is activated and a check is made whether the throttle flap angle changes. If this is not the case, the servomotor is defective; otherwise, an interruption in the idling contact circuit is present. Using this method, it is for the first time possible to detect interruption and servomotor faults. Until now, it was only possible to detect short-circuit faults.