If you miss a payment by one day, there shouldn’t be any issue, though you may be charged a late penalty fee. However, if you miss a car payment by several days, your lender may reach out to you via mail or phone to remind you of your payment. If you make up for the payment before the next billing cycle, you might just face a late payment fee, or even no fee at all if you pay within the grace period. But if you fail to make up for that missed payment, the lender will eventually report it to the credit bureaus, which can negatively affect your credit.