A method is disclosed for detecting the activation of a coupling in a damper actuator, the coupling engaging a drive motor and an adjustable damper with each other, so that the damper can be adjusted by means of the drive motor, and the engagement between the drive motor and the damper being disengaged if a force or a momentum acting on the damper exceeds a maximum value. The method comprises the following steps: detecting the indication of an adjustment rate, in particular a rotary speed of the drive motor; determining a gradient of the adjustment rate, in particular a rotary speed gradient, by the indication of the adjustment rate; determining the activation of the coupling by determining whether the determined gradient exceeds or falls below a predetermined threshold value of the gradient.