Abstract: The invention relates to a method for joining plastic-metal hybrid components, in which a metal component (3) is heated up in a heating stage and a plastic component (9) is brought into contact with the heated metal component (3) in a joining stage and joined to the metal component (3) by means of melting in the contact area, wherein in the heating stage the metal component (3) is heated up to a temperature higher than a defined joining temperature, said metal component is cooled down in a subsequent cooling stage in which the temperature of the metal component (3) is recorded by means of at least one temperature measuring device and the joining stage is performed when the defined joining temperature has been reached.