A sway-bar actuator for a vehicle includes a motor that rotationally operates a lead rod to axially operates a push rod. Operation of the push rod axially operates an attachment fork between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The engaged position is characterized by a unified operation of opposing stabilizing bars. The disengaged position is characterized by independent rotational operation of the opposing stabilizing bars. A sensor rod is coupled to and operates axially with the attachment fork. A sensor assembly has a rotator and a sensor magnet. Axial operation of the sensor rod produces a rotational operation of the sensor magnet. The sway-bar actuator includes an encoder, where a rotational position of the sensor magnet relative to the encoder corresponds to an axial position of the attachment fork and the push rod relative to the engaged and disengaged positions.