A method monitors the state of a device having a first drive cylinder for receiving hydraulic fluid and a first drive piston which is movably arranged in the first drive cylinder. The method determines a speed of the first drive piston, establishes a difference between the determined speed of the first drive piston and an expected speed of the first drive piston, and determines a faulty state as a function of the difference established between the determined speed of the first drive piston and the expected speed of the first drive piston.