Procedure for operating an internal combustion engine particularly in a motor vehicle

The engine has a pressure accumulator (17), in which the pressure is limited to a nominal value relative to an offset value. During overrun operation, no fuel is injected by a valve (21), and the offset value is reduced to a minimum or even to zero. Overrun operation is recognized by comparing the actual volume flow through the high pressure pump (16) feeding the accumulator, and the volume flow during zero feed. The method is carried out by a computer-controlled program.