A method of monitoring an operating elevator system for malfunctions related to sequentially perform functions, including the detection of both sequence and timing errors. The method monitors predetermined signals for the detection of user defined unique events starting and stopping conditions, and it follows each state change of all of the pertinent signals which occurs between these two detected conditions. The state changes and their occurrence times relative to the start of the detected event, are compared with a learned binary image of the correct state changes and occurrence times, which correct image was prepared and stored during a learn mode when the elevator was known to correctly perform the sequence to be monitored.