that reliable limp home operation is possible in an internal combustion engine having four cylinders normally two cylinders are shut off in an internal combustion engine having a higher number of cylinders preferably a higher number of cylinders is shut off preferably only two cylinders are further operated when reaching minimum fuel level s according to the present invention a subset of the injectors is thus no longer controlled in the event of an indication of an existing or imminent penetration of air into the fuel metering system this takes place for example when a fuel level in tank 10 drops below a calibratable level and or in the event of a recognizable rail pressure instability the shut off prevents air from penetrating into the injectors therefore restart is possible using these injectors after the tank is refilled these injectors which are no longer controlled remain closed until a sufficient tank level or a sufficiently stable rail pressure is present again at least as many injectors are always shut off as needed for the next start and at most as many as may be omitted for a safe limp home operation timely shut off prevents or at least reduces penetration of air into these shut off injectors at the next start these injectors are thus still in a condition that enables a function.