In a method for controlling the heat in an internal combustion engine for a vehicle with a coolant circuit and actuable devices for influencing the heat balance of the internal combustion engine, wherein a coolant temperature and further operating parameters of the internal combustion engine are recorded, the actuable devices are operated as a function of the coolant temperature and the further operating parameters of the internal combustion engine in such a manner that an output value for determining a control variable is provided by means of a basic characteristic diagram as a function of the rotational speed and the load on the internal combustion engine, and this control value is corrected by means of a controller as a function of the coolant temperature and/or the further operating parameters.