Abstract Fatigue failure mechanisms under low-frequency loading and their dependence on the strain properties were assessed for the rubber matrix composite of bias aircraft tire carcass reinforced by nylon cords as well as two model rubber composites reinforced by steel wire cables. Under cyclic tension at constant stress amplitude, these angle-plied, cord—rubber composite laminates exhibited localized damage in the form of cord—matrix debonding, matrix cracking, and delamination. The process of fatigue damage accumulation in the cord—rubber composite laminate was accompanied by a steady increase of cyclic strain (dynamic creep) and moderate temperature changes. The fatigue life was found to be linearly proportional to the inverse of the dynamic creep rate, i.e., the time required to increase cyclic strain by a unit amount. Regardless of the associated level of stress amplitude or fatigue life, the gross failure under low-frequency loading occurred when the total strain accumulation, i.e., cumulative creep strain, reached the static failure strain. The use of higher stress amplitude resulted in a decrease of fatigue life by simply shortening the time to reach the critical level of strain for gross failure. This observation indicates that the damage initiation and eventual structural failure of angle-plied, cord—rubber composite laminates are “ strain-controlled” processes. These critical strain properties appear to be controlled by the process of interfacial failure between the cord and matrix. Under static tension, the strain levels for cord—matrix debonding and gross failure of composite laminates showed no significant dependence on the level of carbon black loading of the matrix compound, despite the fact that carbon black loading strongly affected the modulus, strength and strain properties of the matrix. Also the number of debonding sites around the cut ends of cords increased at almost the same rate as the static strain increased regardless of the variation of matrix properties.