A method for error control in an overall system having multiple installations, the installations communicating with one another via a data transmission system having a predefined transmission bandwidth, at least one installation component of each installation transmitting a predefined piece of information in a defined time slot of the transmission bandwidth of the data transmission system. In order to be able to perform an anticipatory machine diagnosis of the overall system, information concerning an error diagnosis of the installation components of each installation is transmitted via the predefined transmission bandwidth of the data transmission system, at least one installation component of each installation to be monitored for errors transmitting its error diagnosis data via an unassigned time slot within the transmission bandwidth of the data transmission system to a central evaluation unit which receives the error diagnosis data of all installation components of the installations to be monitored via the data transmission system.