Can the CD player overheat?

[kassy]

I have a 03 Protege ES. While doing a cross-1/2-country drive, the CD player would stop player for prolonged periods of time. It got to where I couldn't even get the CD out. A day later, it was working fine. Then I took it for a 3-hour drive, and the same thing happened again.
Is it over heating? Or is this the beginnings of it breaking down?

 

[tweety2300]

Both. You can try cleaning the dust out of it to prolong its life