The method is used to determine the elastic bending behavior of coordinate measuring machines as a result of the measuring force and the position of measuring slides in the measuring range of the machine. Correction values are determined, which are used to compensate for measuring errors caused by machine bending. The correction values are a function of the position of the measuring slides and on the measuring force between the probe of the coordinate measuring machine and workpieces within the measuring range, and are established and stored for several positions. The method can be combined very advantageously with known methods for the correction of guideway errors, which were developed on the basis of a rigid model, and with methods for the dynamic correction of machine deviations caused by vibration of machine components.