This paper proposes a detection method of inter-turn short circuit faults for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM). Based on the Field-Oriented Control (FOC) signal, the proposed method analyzes the motor-driving voltage spectrum and finds that the second-order harmonic component of motor-driving voltage can be used as an index to quantify the degree of inter-turn short circuit when the interturn short-sircuit fault occurs. This proposed approach has been tested through the theoretical analysis and Matlab/Simulink computer simulation. Test results can support the feasibility of the interturn short-sircuit fault detection.