Electrical connector assembly

An electrical connector assembly has a male connector which mates to a female connector thereby electrically engaging male terminal blades, locked to a male connector body, to female terminals locked to a female connector body. The blade of each male terminal extends into a blind bore defined by a shroud of the male connector body. Prior to mating of the electrical connector assembly, a self-aligning blade stabilizer is snap fitted into a blade alignment position with the male connector via a lock arm which prevents withdrawal of the stabilizer from the male connector and a flex arm which restricts insertion of the stabilizer into the male connector. When the stabilizer is in the blade alignment position, the tips of the blades are disposed within respective apertures of the stabilizer and aligned to their respective female terminals. Moreover, the terminal blades are protected from being inadvertently knocked and bent which would cause blade misalignment and hinder electrical continuity of the mated assembly. Furthermore, the stabilizer prevents entry of debris into the blind bore of the male connector which would hinder or prevent full mating of the electrical connector. During mating of the electrical connector assembly, the stabilizer is pushed out of the blade alignment position and into a seated position as the blades travel through the apertures and into the female terminals of the female connector.