A method and apparatus for controlling a brushless DC motor which has a permanent magnet rotor and a 3-phase stator winding for applying a rotating magnetic field to the permanent magnet rotor. A specified reference voltage is compared with the stator winding terminal voltages for each phase. The rotor position is detected from the output of these comparison circuits based on the induced voltages generated in the stator windings which are not conducting when the motor is rotated. The stator windings which conduct current are controlled in response. Furthermore, a specific conduction pattern is supplied to each stator winding when the rotor is stopped, and a reference output determined for the conduction pattern is compared with the output of the comparison circuits when the stator windings are conducting. Abnormalities are detected based on the comparison results of the comparison circuit.