Electrical connector contacts in vehicles are exposed to vibrations and thermal cycles, which lead to relative displacements in the tribological contact. Tribological investigations were conducted on an AuCo/Ni vs. Au/NiP ball-plate contact to characterize the occurring fretting wear and the wear mechanisms involved, as well as to quantify the wear using a global model. Additionally, lifetime models were developed based on an electrical failure criterion, taking into account the influencing factors of amplitude, gold layer thickness, and roughness. The failure of the connector contact is attributed to wear of the gold layers and the resulting nickel oxidation, combined with an increase in contact resistance. This involves material transfers, grooving processes, the generation of wear particles, and particle transport mechanisms.