The invention relates to a method and a device for carrying out a diagnosis of at least one component of a motor vehicle when in a driving mode. The driving mode is adapted to the diagnosis. Accordingto the invention, the motor vehicle has, at least intermittently, an automated driving mode in which said motor vehicle is controlled at least partly automatically without the action of a passenger of the motor vehicle, to reach a predefinable travel destination by a travel route. The core of the invention consists in the adaptation to the diagnosis taking place in the automated driving mode.