Mode attachment

Mode attachment is a psychological syndrome from the Generation 1 continuity family.

A Transformer suffering from mode attachment has become particularly attached to his alternate mode, and will resist upgrading or reformatting to a new one, even when circumstances may merit it.

Mode fidelity is an even more extreme example, where a Transformer will resist any changes to their body, right down to their eyebrows.

Examples:

• Ratchet rebuilt Goldbug back into Bumblebee because ol' Doc always preferred his original form. His, uh, original Earth form, anyway. Skin Deep
• It is stated that Kup resisted upgrades and never bothered to keep his systems up to the current technology level. This might explain why he still transforms into a weird piece of crap truck thing. Spotlight: Kup
• After receiving a new, tougher body in preperation for an important mission, Orion Pax revealed a desire to go back to his original body later. Omega's Conundrum He followed through on that desire. The Transformers: Stormbringer (He was also upset when his upgrade causes him to lose his faceplate.)
• Rung admitted to himself in a quiet moment that he suffered from mode fidelity, remaining how he had always looked down to the last detail, even as all his comrades had changed and often grown as big as their systems would allow. Signal to Noise