Increasing　load　requirements　and　harsh　operating　conditions　have　worsened　the　wear　of　drive　shafts　in　special　field　vehicles.　In　this　paper,　the　evolution　of　the　microstructure　and　fretting　wear　behaviors　of　25CrNi2MoVE　torsion　shaft　steel　and　their　influence　on　the　wear　mechanisms　were　investigated　as　a　function　of　tempering　temperature.　The　results　showed　that　the　coarse　grain　size,　low　matrix　hardness　and　non-metallic　inclusions　in　the　as-received　state　lead　to　a　high　wear　rate　and　serious　adhesive　wear.　The　grain　refinement　after　normalizing　and　the　formed　M5　C2　carbide　and　bainite　helped　to　improve　the　wear　resistance　and　worn　surface　quality.　Low　temperature　tempering　is　conducive　to　further　improve　the　wear　resistance　of　normalized　samples,　and　the　wear　rate　and　worn　surface　roughness　are　increased　gradually　after　tempering　temperature　increases.　For　quenching,　although　martensite　structure　can　achieve　a　lower　wear　rate,　the　coefficient　of　friction　is　much　higher;　the　wear　mechanisms　are　primarily　fatigue　wear　and　adhesive　wear.　Although　the　adhesive　wear　degree　and　worn　surface　roughness　were　increased,　the　optimal　anti-wear　performances　are　obtained　under　tempering　at　350◦　C　with　good　continuity　of　the　surface　oxide　film.　Excessive　tempering　temperature　will　make　the　softened　matrix　unable　to　form　a　beneficial　“third-body　wear”.　©　2020　by　the　authors.　Licensee　MDPI,　Basel,　Switzerland.