side lights / tail lights / dash lights not workin

Also the wiring diagram shows all the wires to be either red/yellow or black? i've got all sorts of different colours coming out of my light switch stalk.

Make up a special fuse from the contacts of a blown fuse that has an old headlamp or indicator bulb in place of the fuse wire.
All the time that the short is active the bulb will be on, mess with things until it goes out and you have found the short.

Notice that Suzuki use the dipswitch to EARTH the headlights through one pole of the tail light switch. Possibly something has happened to the head/tail switch to make the earth connect to the tail light feed.
I would start by unplugging the stalk switch, and use a wire to jump between the red/black and the red/yellow. If the lights work without blowing the fuse you can examine the switch to find the fault.

The coloured wires to the indicator stalk will be the indicator feeds.

facade wrote: Make up a special fuse from the contacts of a blown fuse that has an old headlamp or indicator bulb in place of the fuse wire.
All the time that the short is active the bulb will be on, mess with things until it goes out and you have found the short.

Notice that Suzuki use the dipswitch to EARTH the headlights through one pole of the tail light switch. Possibly something has happened to the head/tail switch to make the earth connect to the tail light feed.
I would start by unplugging the stalk switch, and use a wire to jump between the red/black and the red/yellow. If the lights work without blowing the fuse you can examine the switch to find the fault.

The coloured wires to the indicator stalk will be the indicator feeds.

I have conducted the test of bridging the two wires together (even though i don't have a red/black wire its white with red rings.) The fuse still popped so i guess this means that the switch is ok, i've also disconnected the big blue connector that sits by the drivers side lower speaker and the fuse still pops. i assue this means that the short is in the dash area somewhere.

i have finally found the problem! Would you believe it, it was the radio ariel. the ariel was broken when i bought the car and having it plugged into the back of the stereo was causing a short. i assume some moisture was getting in there. Thanks for all the help

nice one .. good detective work