Compressive and shear stresses as well as the generation of heat are critical issues in the failure mechanism of carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites under reciprocating sliding. In this work, the mechanical stress distribution and maximum surface temperature generated on the wear track by reciprocating sliding against stainless steel counter body are modelled numerically. The computational results are used to directly compare them to experimental data to discuss the contact status and failure mechanism during the sliding process applying different sliding frequency and external environment. The debonding between the carbon fibers and the epoxy is modelled considering a cohesive interface modelling. We demonstrate numerically that the sliding frequency has a significant effect on heat generation. Experimentally, at higher frequencies, a more pronounced debonding and crack formation take place in the sub-surface region which is not the case at lower sliding frequencies. Water acts as a cooling agent and decreases the debonding because it functions as a plasticizer agent for the epoxy matrix.