Connector with retainer for locking terminal fitings

A connector comprising a housing with opposite front and rear ends and at least one cavity extending between the ends for receiving at least one terminal fitting inserted into the cavity along an inserting direction, a retainer mount hole extending transversely into the housing and communicating with the cavity and a retainer mountable to the housing at the retainer mount hole for locking the terminal fitting in the cavity of the housing, wherein:

• the retainer comprises a main body with at least one locking section for at least partly entering the retainer mount hole along a mounting direction angularly aligned to the inserting direction and for directly locking the terminal fitting when the retainer is mounted at a proper mount position with respect to the housing, and side plates at opposite lateral ends of the main body for at least partly covering outer surfaces of the housing, the side plates having tapered peripheral ends, and
• the housing comprises protecting portions spaced outwardly from the outer surfaces of the housing and disposed so that the tapered peripheral ends of the side plates are between the outer surfaces of the housing and the protecting portions when the retainer is mounted at the proper mount position and so that portions of the side plates between the peripheral ends and the main body are exposed.