Malfunction recognition for electricity consumers in motor vehicles

The arrangement (01) has an electric consumer (02) switchably arranged between electric potentials (UB, GND), where the electric consumer is switchably connected to two potentials. A switch (03) comprises a current monitoring circuit, and fault detection is carried out when the consumer is visibly off. A voltage divider (05) for tapping a third electric potential (UC) is arranged parallel to another switch (04), and fault detection is determined by evaluating the third electric potential and the positions of the former and the latter switches. An independent claim is also included for a method for fault detection of electric consumers in motor vehicles.